1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light energy conversion system and, more particularly, to a light energy conversion system which converts light energy into electrical energy and converts it into chemical energy through the use of a redox reaction system and then reconverts the chemical energy into electrical energy through the redox reaction system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore there have been proposed various light energy conversion systems of this type, which are usually provided with a semiconductor photoelectric conversion structure for converting light energy into electrical energy, a redox reaction system for converting the electrical energy obtained from the semiconductor photoelectric conversion structure into a chemical energy and for converting the chemical energy into electrical energy, first and second electrodes held in contact with the aqueous solution in the redox reaction system, and first and second connecting means for electrically interconnecting a pair of electrodes of the semiconductor photoelectric conversion structure and the first and second electrodes of the redox reaction system.
Such prior art light energy conversion systems are bulky as a whole because the semiconductor photoelectric conversion structure and the redox reaction system are provided separately of each other.
Furthermore, the conventional systems require first and second electrodes for the redox reaction system and necessitate, as means for electrically interconnecting the semiconductor photoelectric conversion structure and the redox reaction system, two electric connecting means for use in converting electrical energy into chemical energy and two electric connecting means for use in converting chemical energy into electrical energy. Accordingly, the prior art light energy conversion systems are disadvantageous in that they involve the use of a large number of parts and require much time for electrically interconnecting the electrode of the semiconductor photoelectric conversion structure and the electrode held in contact with the electrolytic solution of the redox reaction system.